Hope for Christmas

People around the world celebrate Christmas with family and friends, parties and gifts, decorations and songs. All of these things are wonderful. However, have we overlooked the baby? We find that the story of Christmas is all about a baby.

We discover that the Shepherds in the fields “…hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.” Luke 2:16 The Magi traveled a great distance with significant gifts because of a baby. Even King Herod, though motivated by jealousy, appeared concerned about the baby. He told the wise men “…Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me…” Matthew 2:8

Why would a baby stir such evil actions in Herod? What moved the angels in heaven to rejoice over the birth of a baby? How could a baby bring hope to a sinful world?

The emphasis is not only about who the baby would grow-up to be thirty years later. The significant point concerns the identity of the baby at His birth. This baby was Emmanuel, God with us, the Prince of Peace, God in the flesh. Joseph learned from the beginning, why this baby was born in such a miraculous event. The Angel communicated that Joseph “…give (the baby) the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

Today, over 2,000 years later, people are still talking about the baby named Jesus. Some in worship, some in faith, some in disgust and some in only a seasonal greeting for the holiday. This baby is the cure for what ails this sinful world today.

Jesus is the only thing that makes this holiday Christmas. The sin in the hearts of all humanity brings despair to the world. The message of the baby gives each of us the way to find forgiveness for our sin, something that we cannot do on our own. This truly is the greatest Christmas gift. With no doubt this baby gives each of us the opportunity for hope this Christmas season.

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